Ola Braanaas, owner and president of Norwegian farmer Firda Seafood Group, took to LinkedIn to bemoan the upcoming traffic light volume drawdowns for many of the country's salmon farmers, set to be implemented on Sept. 22.

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The current methodology of Norway's traffic light system, designed to control salmon biomass in relation to regional lice levels, reduces production volumes in areas with a 'red' rating rather than simply restricting growth, as the industry would prefer.

Braanaas is among many in the industry critical of the approach, which they say makes it harder to accurately plan and forecast capacity for future production requirements, while also claiming it has no "demonstrable effect" on reducing lice levels.

According to Braanaas, farms within western Norway's red zone in PO-4, which include Firda, will have to reduce production volumes by 18% from Sept. 22 onwards.

"This costs the industry in western Norway significantly more than both G-tax and wealth tax and dividend tax combined, while at the same time putting jobs at risk in small rural communities on the west coast of Norway," he said.

"We have roughly estimated the negative combined effects of resource rent tax, wealth tax, and dividend tax, to account for less than 1/3 of the harmful effects of the reductions for companies that [comprise] Firda Seafood Group."

Braanaas argues that those farmers who have to deal with lice more regularly have invested in better fish welfare and farming practices, but are being hit with a cutback anyway.

"Paradoxically, the most skilled fish farmers who have the best fish welfare and the lowest mortality are hit the hardest, despite staying within the framework of the lice regulations," he wrote.

"Productivity must increase in Norway if we are to defend welfare. Stop the downdraft!"